A 31-year-old man from Waterville, Elijah Yeaton, has been arrested and charged with attempted murder and arson after a 2024 apartment fire that investigators believe was intentionally set.
The fire occurred early on May 4, 2024, around 12:54 a.m. at a building located at 6 Front Place, Waterville. The Waterville Fire Department responded promptly and extinguished the fire, which was found to have started on the second-floor porch outside the building’s rear entrance. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Investigators from the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office determined that the blaze had been deliberately set. Following an in-depth investigation, authorities identified Yeaton as a suspect. Yeaton was reportedly familiar with one of the apartment’s residents and had known ties to the location.
On February 20, 2025, while Yeaton was already in custody on an unrelated charge at the Kennebec County Jail, he was formally charged with attempted murder and arson following an indictment by a Kennebec County Grand Jury.
The investigation was assisted by the Waterville Police Department, the Waterville Fire Department, and the Kennebec County District Attorney’s Office. The Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office continues to investigate the case. Authorities are encouraging anyone with additional information to come forward.
